“Office Complex Crucial For Lawmakers”: Sir Peter

“Office Complex Crucial For Lawmakers”: Sir Peter

Speaker of the National Parliament Sir Peter Kenilorea says the soon to be built Office Complex for Members of Parliament will enhance their performance as the country’s top lawmakers.

Sir Peter made the remarks at yesterday’s ground breaking ceremony to mark the start of the construction of the new building adjacent to the National Parliament House.

The Government of the Republic of China (or Taiwan) has committed approximately US$3 million (SB$23 million plus) towards the project.

The vision to have an office complex for Members of Parliament surfaced after 30 difficult years for the lawmakers in administering their constituency matters and discharging their lawmaking duties at their own costs.

Since independence, parliamentarians did not have the privilege of having separate official offices beside their constituency offices, which they had to establish and maintain on their own cost.

The project took two successive governments three years to effectively negotiate an agreement with the Republic of China to fund the complex.

Sir Peter said many people will not realize the importance of the complex but it will certainly enhance our parliamentary democracy.

“We have been, and still are, in a state of affairs in which some of our national political leaders are forced to carry out their functions in places that do not commensurate nor do justice to the importance attached to such functions. Through this project, all parliamentarians will, for the first time since independence, have their own offices; all located in one complex”.

“This has many positive implications. For instance, I envisage that the close working proximity of parliamentarians on a daily basis would foster closer healthy working relationships and companionship amongst Members. Further, all Members could now have direct access every day to the Parliamentary Secretariat and its services. Moreover, I am quite sure that the public and constituents will be very pleased to see their Members, whilst in Honiara, actually going to work every day like every other hard working person in town”.

Sir Peter further explained that during Parliament meetings, members would enhance their level of attendance since their offices are next to the Parliament House.

He added that the significance of having an office complex for Members is not only in relation to individual Members, but to Parliament in general.

“If all Members have their own offices and direct secretarial and research support, their performance in the Chamber and in committees will definitely improve considerably. I am very confident that this complex will go a long way indeed in enhancing our Parliament in fulfilling its oversight, legislative and representative functions,” he stated.

ENDS

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